Agents of SHIELD: Knight of New York
by MarvelMatt
Summary: [Second in the Agents of SHIELD: Knight Series] - Set two months after the events of Knight Begins, Gordon and Dent send Batman and Robin to apprehend a criminal calling himself the Riddler in NYC. Meanwhile, S.H.I.E.L.D. send in Agent Barton to protect a diamond on display, warning him that targets DC-52 are in the area, and he has permission to kill on sight. One-Shot.


**_TWO MONTHS AFTER THE EVENTS OF 'AGENTS OF SHIELD: KNIGHT BEGINS'_**

* * *

><p>The black quinjet, or the Batwing as they were now calling it, came to a stop, hovering over one of the seemingly abandoned warehouses on the edge of New York.<p>

Punching in the security code, the roof retracted as the Batwing lowered itself onto the landing pad. The engines powered down and the systems switched off as the rear ramp lowered. Batman and Robin undid their harnesses, before walking down the ramp and towards their New York Batcave, or NYB as Dick had taken to calling it.

"So, just to clarify, we're here to chase down a wackjob for Gordon?"

"Yes"

"Because he left a message, calling you out?"

"Yes"

…

_They land silently on the rooftop of the GCPD, the donation from S.H.I.E.L.D. in between them, as Gordon and Dent are oblivious of their presence. He taps on the glass of the light twice._

_"__Nice"_

_"__A gift from S.H.I.E.L.D. - A way to call you if necessary", Gordon supplied unnecessarily._

_"__A Bat-Signal!" Robin adds, the smile audible in his voice. Batman refrains from growling._

_"__Well …" Dent seems able to feel his annoyance, "we have a message for you"_

_Gordon reaches into his pocket and produces a note, which he hands over to Batman, the bat symbol on the envelope letting them all know the intended target. He begins to read aloud._

_'__Greetings Batman,_

_You may call me The Riddler, a true intellectual opponent, destined to confound and conquer you. I have planned the perfect heist across the continent. Stop me if you can._

_But, alas, not everyone is on par with my intellectual standards, and such, I'll leave you with a clue._

**_What's most alluring when it's lowest or highest; when it's in the air or in a hole; when it's served you, yet you can't touch it?_**

_"__Do you know what it means?" Gordon asked, looking between the two of them hopefully._

_"__Not yet"_

_Gordon and Dent, turn to face each other in disappointment, by the time they look back, the duo has disappeared._

_"__I hate it when they do that"_

_"__You and me both"_

…

"So we're in New York because…?"

"The answer to the riddle is … an enchanting ace"

"Okay …"

"There's a new diamond on display here in New York, at the charity auction for cancer research tonight. It's being hosted by Simon Stagg, a local industrialist, the main item, a diamond known as 'The Ace of Enchantment', that's his target"

"So we're heading over to Stagg's mansion"

"Yes. We have to prevent that theft"

…

_"__Agent Barton, please report for briefing"_

The communicator in his ear died out, and he sighed. Dropping down from his perch on the platform inside of the Helicarrier's range room. Waving a goodbye to Bobbi as he passed her, demolishing her hard light opponents, he headed for the briefing room, taking a seat across from Commander Hill.

"Ma'am"

"Agent Barton. Here", she passed him a folder, revealing documents of Simon Stagg and the 'Ace of Enchantment'.

"The mission?"

"Protect that diamond, our sources tell us a threat has been made against it"

He stood up to leave, taking the folder with him when she called him back, "and Agent Barton…"

"Yes Ma'am?"

"Target DC-52 is possibly in the area. Exercise caution"

"Plan X?"

"Only if necessary"

"Understood Ma'am"

…

"This guy cleans up nice"

"Focus. We're here to protect the diamond, not as the fashion brigade"

Robin lets out his signature cackle, "was that a joke? Aww, I'm finally rubbing off on you, maybe you'll lighten up a bit at home too"

"What's wrong with me at home?"

"I meant in Gotham, in general. Batman's far too broody"

"I'm supposed to intimidate the night life, not play nice with them"

"Yeah, but you don't have to intimidate Gordon and Dent, or-"

Robin was cut off by screams from the party below, the lights had gone out. The duo activated their extra vision lenses, which caused the white lenses to drop over their eyes, activating night vision for Batman and thermal vision for Robin.

Independently the two scanned the room for any sign of the thief.

"Robin! The skylight!"

Robin's vision flicked upwards, a lone heat signature was climbing out of the skylight in the darkness. The white lenses slid up on both masks. The sound of two grapnels rang out, and the duo flew off into the sky.

They dropped down to see a lone man with a bow, sealing the skylight behind him, their landing caused him to look up, and he immediately notched an arrow in their direction.

Batman stepped protectively in front of Robin, before speaking, "Agent Barton"

"I'm on mission. I go by Hawkeye"

"Theft is a mission? How far has S.H.I.E.L.D. fallen?"

"Theft?"

"The Enchanting Ace. It's just been stolen and you're here"

"I didn't steal it"

"Then who did?"

"I was told that Batman and Robin were in New York. We assumed you were here to steal it"

"HEY! We don't steal!" Robin was yelling at Hawkeye, over the shoulder of Batman.

At Robin's outburst, Hawkeye let his arrow fly loose, straight for Batman's neck. A batarang flew through the air, knocking the arrow off course, as the Zip-Kick attached itself to the bow.

Hawkeye saw a flash of red and black, before he was lying on the floor, with Robin holding his bow, standing above him. He couldn't help but chuckle at that. _Disarmed by a kid! Kid's got moves, I wonder how good the bat is._

"Nice moves kid"

"The name is Robin"

Another chuckle, _the kids got balls._

"We're not your enemy Hawkeye, we're after the Riddler"

"The what now?"

"The Riddler. He left us a message, challenging us to stop him by leaving clues at the GCPD. It led us to the diamond that was just stolen"

"S.H.I.E.L.D. Just sent me in blind, but I have to recover that diamond"

Robin turns to look towards his mentor, who nods his head. Barton is surprised when the kid offers him his bow back, and then lends a hand, pulling him to his feet.

"Truce?"

"Truce. Though I should say that I have the kill order on you"

"Why?"

"There's reports that you've been killing in Gotham and-"

"Never", he was up to full Bat-Growl now, "I don't kill. And if we're going to work together there will be no kill shots from you"

"Fine. Where do we go know?"

_"__I'm glad one of you finally asked my dear deluded friends. Decipher this deceivingly difficult direction and you may be able to stop me yet, for I am … The Riddler"_

"Where are you?" Hawkeye was skimming his eyes around them, searching for the Riddler.

_"__Oh I'm not there Mr. Avenger, but you'll have to come seek me from my hiding place"_

"What's the clue Riddler?"

_"__Ah, straight to the point my brazen bat, well then, let's whet your appetite, 'I know not from whom the bell tolls, but it tolls for she', bye-bye for now Batman"_

…

"You two are sure about this?" Hawkeye asks, the uncertainty clear in his voice, "I mean, really?"

"Yes"

"He's not much of a conversationalist is he?"

"He's much more fun at parties"

Batman just glared at the two, who both fell into fits of laughter at his expression.

"You know what kid, I like you"

"We're here"

The quinjet that Hawkeye brought lands on the edge of Liberty Island, cloaked and almost silently as they touch ground.

"Run me through this one more time"

Batman just sighs, as Robin launches into an explanation.

"It was a Shakespearian quote, referencing a bell, but he changed the last word from thee to she, so we have a woman and a bell. There was an article on the news about the liberty bell, so we have liberty bell, liberty lady, so lady liberty and we end up with the Statue of Liberty"

"That's quite a stretch"

"Trust Robin. He knows what he's doing"

"I am trusting him, I just wish we knew what we were walking into"

…

Entering the visitors section of the Statue of Liberty, Batman and Hawkeye went into scanning mode, searching the area for intruders (other than themselves) and potential threats. Robin was just looking up in wonder.

"Robin! Get your head in the game!"

His attention snapped up to his mentor, as he crumpled to the floor, followed swiftly by Hawkeye. He felt a small sting below his jaw, before he felt the cold sensation of the floor, and then nothing.

…

Blinking rapidly, to shake the drowsiness from his eyes, he snapped them open and took note of his surroundings. They were strapped onto medical gurneys. Hawkeye's bow and quiver were missing, but the protections on his cowl, Robin's mask and their utility belts apparently worked, as they were still wearing them.

Flicking the small knife from the holding place in his gauntlet, he cut the strap holding his chest to the bed, before releasing his legs. He then moved to Robin, before Hawkeye, both having awoken when he was releasing himself.

"Here", he said, handing Hawkeye several of his batarangs.

"Thank", he muttered back, testing the weight of his new weapons, by balancing them in his palm, before securing them in his harness.

Wordlessly, the three of them slinked off in search of the Riddler.

…

They find him easily enough.

Sneaking through the air vents, they slipped out when they reached the only possible exit. Landing in what seemed to be a large engine room, _where are we?_

Lights blared to life, temporarily blinding the trio, as their eyes adjusted, they opened them to see the Riddler stood above them. It was clear he was the Riddler by the pale green suit covered in pale gold question marks, a large black one on the back. He also wore a pale green bowler hat, a white shirt and a light purple tie with a golden question mark tie clip. He carried a long golden cane, tipped to look like a question mark, as he spoke, the three recognised his shrill voice.

"My, my, aren't we quite the troublemakers … GET THEM!"

The several dozen enforcers dropped from the balconies above them, encircling them, roughly thirty combatants in all, standing back to back, the three launched.

They were ruthless in their attack. Punches broke jaws, elbows shattered collar bones, snap kicks blew out knees.

Ducking under a wild right swing, Hawkeye drove his knee into an attacker's solar plexus, while launching a batarang at one thug that had snuck around Robin. It connected with the back of his skull as Robin swept his legs out from under him.

The two shared a grin before Robin aimed a shuriken at the thug that had managed to sneak up on HIM. Shrugging apologetically, they turned back to their individual fights.

There was barking as someone had brought a pair of Rottweiler dogs with them, and Batman moved to intercept them. Growling in pain as one of them sank its teeth into his forearm, he threw it into the wall, before sending its partner to join it.

The Riddler watched on in frustration, and he chose his moment.

As Robin drove his knee into the last man's ribs, he flicked the switch on top of his cane and slid out through the emergency door behind him as Batman grappled up to his location.

A sleeping agent entered through the ventilation system, slowly suffocating the room's occupants. Grabbing Hawkeye, Robin sent out his grapnel, joining his mentor at the top of the room as the effects of the gas reached them, and for the second time that night, the trio slipped into sleep.

…

Waking up several hours later, the small HUD provided by the extra vision lenses told him that it was nearing five o'clock in the morning. Shaking his partner and the Avenger awake, he sat back on his haunches as Robin proceeded to hack the security door.

It opened to find themselves on a large ship, moored at Liberty Island, the name on the side read 'The Final Offer II'. Hawkeye's bow and quiver were just hanging next to the door, along with the Enchanting Ace diamond, and a note.

_Dear Batman and Co._

_This was fun, until next time please keep this diamond as a token of your failure._

_-?_

He was mocking them. One last riddle, _where am I?_

…

Spotting their quinjet parked below them, they dropped from the boat on their grapnels (Hawkeye on a grappling arrow), and silently headed back over the water, Hawkeye radioing for a S.H.I.E.L.D. Pick-up for the knocked out goons on the ship.

Batman and Robin dropped out on the edge of the city, Hawkeye stepping out with them to say goodbye, when he surprised them both, by offering his hand.

"I'll also see about getting the kill order dropped from you both", he said, while shaking their hands.

"Stay safe Bird-Man"

"You too little Robin"

"Until next time. Barton"

"Batman"

And with that the duo disappeared.

…

They were mid-flight back to Gotham when he sent a quick message to Fitz, enquiring about an upgrade to their suits, before Robin asked the question he'd been dying to for a week.

"So … have you made a decision"

"Dick…"

"I know Jason's a bit of a rough case, I know, but we could help him the way you helped me, his dad was Joseph Todd, and he was an enforcer for Falcone, but he got himself killed and his mom, Trina, she left him at the orphanage, and…"

"Dick! I've already made a decision!"

"Oh … sorry then I just …"

"WHEN we get back to Gotham, Gordon has agreed to help me sort through the adoption papers, and with the size improvements to the house, courtesy of S.H.I.E.L.D. We will be able to have him live with us"

"So…"

"I'm adopting Jason Todd"

They sit there for several minutes in contentment, before he pipes up, "Dad?"

"Yes Dick"

"Thank you"

"Anytime son, anytime"

...

...

**Author's Note**

Look out tomorrow for the full story sequel titled **Agents of SHIELD: Knight of Vengeance**

**PLEASE **leave a review, they are ALWAYS appreciated.

'Till Next Time  
>-MarvelMatt<p> 


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